Shipping-package



- 0. o.A EATON.

I kSHIPPING PACKAGE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2I9. `F919.

Patented'spt.- 21',` 1920.

rATENMT ortica.

ORRIN 0. EATON, 0F WATSONZVILLE, CALIFORNIA'.

SHIPPING-PACKAGE.

Specification ofietters Patent. v faitellijed Sept. 21, 1920.

Application filed September 29, 1 919. Serial No. 327,182.

To all whom t may concern:

'Be it known that I, ORRIN O. EATON, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of with cleats for the reception of drawers inV 'which the berry boxes are placed, six to the drawer. In this construction the drawers fit closely, not only against the ends ofthe compartment in which they are placed but also against the front and back thereof. While the slatted construction of the sides of the chest are intended to admit air to the berries in the crate there is in fact but little circulation of air therethrough due to the closeness of the lit between the trays and the walls of the chest. This air circulation is still further reduced, in fact practically eliminated altogether when the chests are placed closely together in cars for transportation, the closely fitted chests prevente ing air from circulating through the spaces between the slats thereof. Furthermore, this construction requires the use of an undue amount of material thereby adding materially to the cost of transportation and does not permit a satisfactory display of the contents of the chest when placed on the market.

It is the obj ect of this invention to provide a shipping package that will satisfactorily overcome the faults above set forth; that will be light in weight; that will permit free circulation of air throughout the interior thereof at all times; that will permit a proper display of the contents thereof; and which is provided with a plurality of removable trays that may be easily arranged for short distance delivery independently of the chest proper. v

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of my improved shipping package.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view cn line 2 2 of lsaid compartment.

Fig. -l with the trays extended for display purposes.

Fig. 4 is a perspective illustration of a number of the trays arranged for shipping independently of the chest.

Referring more part'cularly to the drawing, thechest proper is formed of end members and aV central member 1-1-1, spaced and positioned by solid bottom 2 and top 3 and slatted back 4c, and slatted hinged door 5, thereby forming compartments 6 and 7.

At 8 8 are shown two vertically positioned members secured to the inner -surfaces 'of slats 4L, one being positioned in each compartment as shown and ofV suflicient length to engage all of the trays placed in At 9-9-99 are shown vertically positioned members secured to the inner surface of the slats forming the door of the chest and likewise made ofsuiiicient length to engage all of the trays in their respective compartments. The corners of the chest are left open as shown at 3a to permit the free entrance of air to the spaces formed by spacing members 8 and 9.

T he trays 10 are each formed of end pieces ll and bottoms l2 and narrow sides 13, and are of such proportions that they slide easily into a compartment 7 or 8 sidewise as shown, the bottom tray resting on the bottom of the chest and the other trays being superimposed one upon the other as shown.

Since berries are picked during the heat of the day it is greatly to their advantage to be placed directly in a chest of the type hereinbefore described, as it permits a free circulation of air around them at all times and therefore cools them and materially increases their ability to resist decay. When placed on the market the trays may be arranged as shown in Fig. 3 thereby bringing nearly all of the berries into View without utilizing much space in addition to that occupied by the chest itself.

Another important feature of this invention is that two or more of the rtrays may be easily prepared for delivery by express or otherwise from a distributing center by providing a pair of orifices as 14-14 in each end of each tray and providing a single flat cover piece as 15 provided with similarly placed orifices and then binding the required number of trays and a top together by means of wires as shown. In the present instance leach wire 16 is Vfitted. with a washer.

17 at its lower end and is fastened to the top by a staple 18. The trays used, in chests of the type now in general use are made shallow and to slide on cleats and therefore they cannot be placed one on top of another without crushing the contents thereof, while in the invention set forth herein the trays and their contents may be distributed in any desired number bound together without injury to the contents.

It may now be seen that I have provided a shipping package that is light in weight, economical to manufacture, that may be used in its entirety or separated and oertain parts only used, and that affords ample ventilation of the contents thereof at all times and under all conditions of stacking.

It understood that changes in form and demils of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

l. A shipping package comprising a chest divided into two compartments having substantially closed end and top and bottom members and having a ventilated back and a ventilated door hingedly mounted to close the front thereof, spacing means mounted in each compartment on the inner surfaces of said back and door, and a stack of trays fitting sidewise into each compartment `and the full length thereof and engaging the spacing means on the back and door thereof, each tray having upwardly extending end members adapted to slidably engage the bottom of the tray superimposed thereon or t'he'top of said chest, and having narrow side members whereby air may eirculate freely around the top, bottom and both sides of each tray.

2. A shipping package comprising a chest consisting of substantially closed top, bottom and end portions and a partition positioned midway of said end portions to form two compartments, a ventilated back and a ventilated door hingedly mounted on the front thereof, and a stack of trays for each compartment, each stack yconsisting of a plurality of trays of uniform dimensions, each tray consisting of a bottom member, two narrow side members and two end members, said end members extending above said side members and slidably engaging the bottom of the tray placed thereon, or the top of said chest, and the ends of the compartment in which it is placed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 22nd day of September, 1919,

ORRIN O. EATON. 

